Galanthus requirements

Paul T. ptyerman@ozemail.com.au
Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:19:11 PST
At 10:46 AM 28/01/2008, you wrote:
>Dear Jim,
>If only you could get Galanthus cilicicus and G.fosteri in some good forms
>you may have better results.These species don't mind drought or heat quite
>so much as any others,in act they are quite tender especially G.cilicicus

Mark et al,

Add Galanthus gracilis to that list.  I find that they much prefer 
here to be in a sunnier drier place than the other Galanthus (and 
reginae-olgae seem to be quite happy there as well in most 
cases).  The Galanthus gracilis was for a few years in 5 inch squat 
pots out on my back landing (which means full sun for half the day or 
more in summer) and they thrived, multiplied and flowered 
freely.  One year I realised that I shouldn't be doing this (I'd 
relaised this before, jsut not thought about it during summer) so I 
repotted them into a bigger pot (around 30 bulbs by that stage) and 
put them in more shade and kept them damper.  They grew and flowered 
and when repotted the next season there was not a single bulb left in 
there.  Thankfully I had dropped a couple into the ground in a warmer 
drier summer area (not talking full sun here, but definitely hotter 
and drier than traditional Galanthus conditions) and I have 
established a large clump there.  I eventually lifted a couple back 
into a pot and put it back in the original conditions I had them in 
on the back landing...... those couple within a couple of years 
multiplied to around 15, probably half of them flowering sized I 
would hazard.  It just goes to show if something works well for you 
don't change it, whatever the books or advice from people might say!! 
(The loss of the Primula auricula collection after such advice cured 
me of that, let me tell you!!)

All the best from a fellow hopelessly addicted Galanthus collector.

Cheers.

Paul T.
Canberra, Australia - USDA Zone Equivalent approx. 8/9

Growing an eclectic collection of plants from all over the world 
including Aroids, Crocus, Cyclamen, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, 
Galanthus, Irises, Trilliums (to name but a few) and just about 
anything else that doesn't move!! 


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